1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates generally to the production of nitride based heterostructure devices. In particular, the present invention generally relates to nitride based heterostructures having a silicon dioxide layer for controlling the reverse leakage of current.
2. Background Art
Gallium-Nitride (GaN) based Metal Semiconductor Metal (MSM) devices for visible-blind ultraviolet detection may have reverse leakage current values of about 1xc3x9710xe2x88x925 A-cmxe2x88x922 (at xe2x88x925 V) for interlaced electrode geometry MSM detectors. While GaN based transparent Schottky barrier detectors have a very sharp visible-blind cutoff and responsivity values as high as about 0.18 A/W, these devices have reverse leakage currents of approximately 1xc3x9710xe2x88x926 A-cmxe2x88x922.
Additionally, AlGaN/GaN Heterostructure Field Effect Transistors (HFETs) may have applications in microwave and optical communication systems. GaN-based Metal Insulator Field Effect Transistors (MISFETs) using i-GaN, i-AlGaN/GaN and Si3N4 as the gate insulator have been attempted. While these devices were operational, they exhibited a current-voltage characteristic collapse at high drain biases due to a large density of interface states. GaN-based Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistors (MOSFETs) using Ga2O3 and Gd2O3 oxides for the gate insulator have also been created. However, these devices exhibited a much smaller transconductance than conventional GaN-based High Electron Mobility Transistors.
Therefore, there exists a need for nitride based semiconductor devices having substantially lower reverse leakage currents and performance characteristics comparable or better than conventional devices in all other respects.
The current invention provides a method and structure for controlling reverse current leakage in semiconductor devices by providing nitride based heterostructures having a silicon dioxide dielectric layer.
In a first aspect of the present invention, a method of producing nitride based heterostructure devices is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a substrate; applying a first layer over the substrate wherein the first layer includes nitrogen; and applying a dielectric layer over the first layer wherein the dielectric layer includes silicon dioxide.
In a second aspect of the present invention, a method of producing nitride based heterostructure devices is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a substrate; applying a first layer over the substrate wherein the first layer includes gallium and nitrogen; and applying a dielectric layer over the first layer wherein the dielectric layer includes silicon dioxide.
In a third aspect of the present invention, a nitride based heterostructure device is provided. The device comprises: a substrate; a first layer over the substrate wherein the first layer includes nitrogen; and a dielectric layer over the first layer wherein the dielectric layer includes silicon dioxide.
The exemplary aspects of the present invention are designed to solve the problems herein described and other problems not discussed, which are discoverable by a skilled artisan.